Sanchez vacation in Morocco reveals Spanish opposition’s Morocco phobia
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is spending his holiday with his family in Morocco in a trip that revealed the scale of hostility to anything Moroccan among some Spanish opposition parties.
Sanchez has been in Morocco since last week and spent a few days in Marrakech where the media shared his pictures, sightseeing the centuries-old medina and visiting its main attractions.
He is now in northern Morocco where he will stay in Tangier, a city on Gibraltar strait, and visit the blue iconic town of Chaouen in addition to Tetouan.
Moroccan media interpreted the visit as a message of friendship and solidly growing ties between the two kingdoms at all levels.
Under Sanchez, Morocco and Spain opened a new chapter of close cooperation after Madrid described the autonomy plan as “the most serious, credible and realistic,” option to settle the Sahara conflict.
The announcement was followed by two visits to Morocco during which Madrid and Rabat reiterated attachment to close strategic ties based on mutual respect.
The momentum in Spanish-Moroccan relations was often targeted by the Spanish right and left wing opposition, intent on turning Morocco phobia into a political capital to mobilize voters.
The scale of anti-Moroccan sentiment among the opposition led many to criticize Sanchez for choosing Morocco for his private family trip! This stand presupposes that the Spanish opposition views any trip to Morocco as a crime!
Despite Sanchez’ office explaining that the trip was paid for from Sanchez private money and that no official agenda was included, the opposition kept taking aim at him few days after an inconclusive election.
PP deputy secretary general Miguel Tellado said Sanchez visit was a “provocation” while Santiago Abascal of the Vox extreme right party said “Sanchez seems to have chosen Morocco to Spain.”
Spanish opposition, including tiny Podemos and ardent Polisario supporters, have made of Morocco their scapegoat or the hook in which they pin all Spain’s woes.
Sanchez, in contrast, made of improving ties with Morocco an asset and an achievement of his government citing advancing cooperation and the economic, security and migration control levels.
